Improvement in air and steam car-brakes



d 1. M. coman. 'i Air and Steam Car-Brakes,

AATTORNEYS UNITED 'STATES PATENT JAMES M. OONNEL, OF NEWARIQO'HIO,ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF HIS RIGHT TO REUBEN M. WEAVER, OF VILLIAMSPORT,PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN AIR AND STEAM CAR-BRAKES.

Specification forming partof Letters Patent No. 158,912, dated January19, 1875 application lilcd January 4, 1875.V

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, JAMEs M. CONNEL, of

Newark, in the county of Licking and in the State of Ohio, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Oar-Brakes 5 and do herebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and exact descriptionthereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to theletters of reference marked thereon, making a part of thisspecification.

The nature of my invention consists in certain improvements on thecar-brake for which Letters Patent No. 157,580 were granted to meDecember 8, 1874, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In order to enable others skilled in the art towhich my inventionappertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe itsconstruction and operation, referring to the annexed drawing, in which-Figure l represents the bottom or platform of a car with a longitudinalsection of one ol' the trucks and my improved car-brake attachedthereto. Fig. 2 is an enlarged section, showing the mode of cutting offthe steam or air at the end of any car. Fig. 3 is a view of thecylinder, partly broken open to show the interior thereof; and Fig. 4 isan enlarged section, showing the coupling between two cars.

A represents the bottom or platform of a railroad-car. B represents oneof the truckframes thereof, with the wheels C C, all constructed in anyof the knownand usual ways. Under the center of the car is secured thecylinder D, provided with a piston, E, secured to a rod, G, which passesthrough both heads 0f -the cylinder, and all arranged diagonally, asdescribed in my former patent above referred to. In this case I make thepiston-rod G hollow, and conduct the air or steam for operating thebrakes through the same. Inside of the cylinder D, behind the piston E,the

rod G is :made perforated to allow the steam or air to pass into thecylinder and move or push the piston in the desired direction. H

H represent the ordinary brake-beams suspended from the truck-frame B,and provided with brake-shoes I I. Through the center of eachbrake-beamis passed a rod, a, formed with a forked head, '11, at itsinner end, and on its outer end is placed a rubber spring, d. The forkedheads b b are for the reception of levers J J -pivoted therein, thusconnecting said levers to the brake-beams H H", respectively. Theselevers stand in inclined directions to correspond with the positions ofthe diagonal piston-rod G in relation to the centers of the brake-beams.The lower ends of the levers are connected together by means of a rod,f, attached to them by adjustable couplings e e, so as to be readilyregulated. The upper end of the levers J J are, respectively, connectedwith adjustable collars h h on the piston-rod by means of chains i if,the chain z" passing direct to the collar h', while the chain i passesaround a pulley, 7c, attached in a suitable bearing on the under side ofthe platform A, and thence to the collar h, thereby causing the movementof the upper ends of both levers in ward when the piston E is moved bythe admission of steam or air into the cylinder.

By this arrangement of the parts the carbrake is greatly simplifiedfandonly one pulley is necessary between the piston-rod and the brakes.

The rubber springs d on the outer sides of the brake-beams around therods a prevent any undue pressure of the brake-blocks, which mightotherwise result in the breakage of some parts of the mechanism.

The upper end of the lever J is, by a spring, m, connected with thetruck-frame B, said spring being so arranged as to operate'on the leverin a direction opposite to that of the chain t'. When the steam or airis shut off at the locomotive this spring at once places the levers inproper position to be again acted upon when the steam or air is turnedon, and at the same time pulls the piston-rod G into its originalposition, bringing the piston E to its place in the cylinder, so as tobe again pushed or moved by the admission of steam or air. The ends ofthe piston-rod G are closed and connected with the rods of the ad` whichis attached a flexible hose or pipe, K, v

provided with a coupling, p, at its outer end.

The flexible pipes K of adjoining cars are connected together by thecouplings p, which are provided with what is known as' the bayonetfastening,77 and also with an interior packingring w, so as to make asteam or air tight joint. At the rear end of the last carin the trainthe coupling p of the flexible pipe K is fastened on a stud, s, attachedto the piston-rod Gr, or to the under side of the platform A, therebykeeping the pipe out of the way, and also cutting off the steam or air.

Having thus fully'described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a steam or air brake, a hollow pistonrod, which extends under thecar-bottom, in combination with one or more pistons and the brake-shoes,to which it is connected, substantially as and for the purposes hereinset forth.

2. The combination, with a hollow pistonrod, G, of the adjustablecollars h It', chains i', and brakelevers, all substantially as setforth.

3. The spring m, in combination with the levers, chains, and pistonrod,l'as and for the purposes herein set forth. v

4. The combination of the hollow piston-rod G, closed at both ends, andprovided with nozzles n, the flexible pipes K, having couplings p, withpacking m and the studs s, all substantially as and for the purposesherein set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this4th day of January, 1875.

J. M. CONNEL.

Witnesses C. L. EVERT, C. M. BART.

